Lady Eagles lose to Snow, but beat SLCC

It has been another tough season for the Lady Eagles. Despite playing some very good volleyball, they have to face nationally ranked teams almost every time they step on the court. This was the case again this weekend when number 17th ranked Snow and 11th ranked Salt Lake Community College stopped by. USU/CEU lost in three sets to Snow on Friday night, but regrouped and outlasted Salt Lake on Saturday to post a victory.

Snow College came into the Friday match in third place with only two losses in conference play. Their bread and butter is a very strong outside attack and they used it effectively to take the set. Miranda Parkinson's four kills were half of the eight the Eagles put up.

In set two, both teams traded the lead back and forth, battling hard early. But USU/CEU could not keep up with Snow offense. Six service errors hampered the home team as they drop the second set. Parkinson had three more kills and got help from Barbara Jardin and Sabrina Simas who added three each.

The Eagles headed to the locker room to regroup and came out more determined to change the results of the match. The team has their best set of the night but still fell short as the match went to Snow in a sweep. Parkinson finished with 10 kills for the match and was the only player in double digit kills.

Snow (3) 25 25 25

CEU (0) 19 20 21

Saturday's match with SLCC was not going to be any easier. The last meeting between SLCC and Eastern Utah was in Salt Lake City and the Bruins came out on top. The Bruins have slipped down the polls from 2nd to 11th. They sit in fourth place just ahead of Eastern Utah in the SWAC.

Starting off the Eagles seemed to have an answer for anything SLCC hit at them. Britni Greenwood returned to the opposite hitter spot and brought with her the much needed fire that lit Eastern Utah up. Almost everything she touched turned into points as she produced seven kills in the first two sets.

The first two sets belonged to USU/CEU. Parkinson collected eight kills. The Bruins returned with a renewed vigor and took control of the next two sets. This sent the match to a fifth and final set.

The Eagles scored the first point and then the Bruins answered back briefly. It was Eastern Utah that decided to go on a scoring spree with five unanswered points. This was enough for the Lady Eagles to maintain the momentum that carried them to victory over the Lady Bruins.

Parkinson finished with 18 kills and three service aces, Jardin hit 12 kills. Simas smashed nine kills and three service aces. Greenwood ended with nine kills. Julia Potts came up with 37 assists. Five players scooped up double digit digs as the defense was extremely good in the win.

SLCC (2) 18 20 25 25 11

CEU (3) 25 25 17 16 15

Coach Grant Barraclough stated that the Snow loss was a mental thing with his team. They see Snow as a rival they should be able to beat and get uptight, make mistakes and over think the game. With Salt Lake, they figure they have nothing to lose and just go out and play hard and have fun. After Salt Lake came back and forced the match into a fifth set he took them aside and said, "I know you girls can do this. There is no reason to think you can't beat them so go back out and have fun and play to win."

This weekend the team will play North Idaho and Southern Idaho on the road.